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Taking a look at a couple of left tackles that the Washington Commanders could potentially target in free agency
High Profile: Ronnie Stanley, 30
One of the most appealing aspects of Stanley’s game is his pass protection and specifically, his athleticism in pass protection. Stanley is capable of matching some of the most explosive rushers in the game off the edge and taking away that speed rush option, forcing them to find another way to win.
But it’s not just speed rushes off the edge that Stanley’s athleticism helps handle.
On this play, Browns star defensive end Myles Garrett rushes up the field before using a spin move to try and get back inside. Spin moves can be really tough for tackles to block because they have to stop their momentum and restarted their feet going back inside to cut it off all in one smooth, fluid motion. It can expose any athletic weaknesses the tackle might have, but on this play we see Stanley handle it well. Stanley gets out of his stance quickly off the snap and gets plenty of depth to try and handle any threat of a speed rush from Garrett. He lands a solid punch on him too, which tells Garrett he’s not getting past him on the edge.
Garrett then transitions into his spin move, spinning back inside and using his arm as a club to try and knock Stanley away. Stanley does a terrific job matching the spin move. He is able to slow his feet, open his hips back inside and take a big step with his inside leg to close off the lane that Garrett attempts to attack. Now Garrett is relentless and is able to generate some pressure by working back outside after the spin, but there’s only so long you can expect a left tackle to be able to block Garrett on their own. Stanley did a great job cutting off the speed to the edge and then redirecting back inside to cut off the spin move too. By that point the ball should have been out.
While Stanley is known for his quick feet and finesse blocking at left tackle, he can also pack a punch. Stanley has a good understanding of when to throw his punches and knows that a well timed punch can be incredibly disruptive to a pass rusher.
Now, the Commanders are picking on the opposite end of the first round with the No. 29 overall selection. They got the most important piece last year with Daniels, but there are still several positions they need to address before the 2025 season begins.
In anticipation of that selection, Commanders.com will...
